JDM headlights on a 2000 Q45t

[ddsmith60]

I purchased a 2000 Q45t for my daughter. She drove it for about 6 months and decided a trade for my 1999 RAV 4 would be a smart move. The car had some front end trama during it's life and both headlights lens were cracked and would not pass inspection. I addition, the housings were also broken. So I was left with finding replacements. As anyone knows these thing are prohibitively expensive from the dealer, so I needed to find an alternative. The car had HID from the factory and I was able to find used JDM headlights. They cost $189 dollars for the units with $109 dollars shiping. They arrived in 7 days. They bolted up and all plugs were direct fit with the exception of the parkng/turn signal light. The US version uses a 1157 bulb but the JDM version uses what equates to a 7443 bulb. The 1157 bulb and light holder will not work on the JDM assembly.The lenses are clear for the parking/turn signal light on the JDM headlights. So the JDM clear bulbs are rated at 21/5W which if you went that route you would replace the JDM clear bulb with a 7443NA to meet US requirement for amber light, however when you look at the specs for the 1157 bulbs they are rated at 27/8W, so I put 7444NA which have similar wattage rating as 1157 bulbs. The JDM units have the connector female plug for the parking/turn signal light mounted on the headlight housing and the wire is routed underneath the ballast for the HIDs and then to the screw in light holder. I pulled the female connector off of the headlight assembly and unbolted the ballast to remove the wire routed underneath it. The headlight assemblies came with the male connectors and I was able to remove the original connector which went to the 1157 bulb holder and wire in the JDM male plug. That way the wire harness plugs directly into the parking/turn signal JDM light holder. So I no longer have racoon eye but I have some pretty damn nice headlights for less than $300. If anyone has any questions I would be happy to answer what I can. If you did not have HIDs originally then you have a bunch more wiring headaches to deal with. Here is a link to what I bought to put into my car. http://www.ebay.com/itm/320987677252?ss ... 1497.l2649

[qship96]

Should have done your homework first.....read this for starters

" Vehicle tuners in markets outside Japan often import JDM components for installation on non-JDM vehicles, to attain specific appearance and/or performance characteristics. JDM vehicle body parts, lights, mirrors, wheels, and emblems are among the popular exports for conversion of non-JDM vehicles. In most cases, no significant traffic-compatibility issue arises from the installation of JDM components outside of Japan, but there are safety hazards associated with using JDM headlamps in countries where traffic flows along the right side of the road. This is because all JDM headlamps are engineered for use on the left side of the road; a left-traffic low beam in right-hand traffic blinds oncoming motorists and fails to light the right-side driver's way safely ahead.[3]"

[BCC93QT]

As a real estate agent, and the most hated person on this forum, you should know when to shut your mouth qship

[qship96]

As a real estate agent, and the most hated person on this forum, you should know when to shut your mouth qship

You,sir, are an idiot.Why would you want to shield the proven facts from an owner who may not know the consequences of his/her choices????? The use of JDM headlamps in the USA not only provides worse lighting for the driver of said vehicle,but causes dangerous glare to other motorists sharing the road with him.Simple facts,no matter how much you may WANT it not to be true.I guess the fact that you attempt to earn a few bucks by importing cartons of used JDM trinkets makes you wish I would keep quiet about the truth ? Who is the unethical slob in this picture? I guess if someone of your unethical,selfish nature hates me, I consider that an honor sir.

[BCC93QT]

Wow I must have pushed some of those buttons! Someone getting a a touch upset? As my previous post said "most hated person on this forum" you took that and ran with it. As I cant stand you I don't HATE you but I know several that do. Are you aware that some headlamps are self leveling and electronically controlled? Also, as you have seen in the past, you can modify headlamps in many ways to actually improve them.

AND yes, I do import cubes of product from Japan, I work for a wine/alcohol merchant and I mainly import wine, beer, sake, and other product from Japan, the parts are just a bonus way to make me some cash! And yes, it works. You're criticizing that? Sorry pal, this is America, there are worse ways to make money. I guess I could be selling garbage houses to people that cannot afford them, RIGHT?

[qship96]

You are an unethical slob, period.

[BCC93QT]

and you are a bigot that acts like a child

[paranoidjack]

tact is what is missing on the internet, there are nicer ways to say things. The problem that I see in this post is that a member (who may have been missing some information) made a post ONLY with the intention of perhaps helping others and delivering good news. This was answered with "you should have done your homework."

It's not about who's right or wrong, it's about delivery...sales 101, give bad news with a smile and people will not hold it against you.

No need for any name calling, people just need to speak the same way as if they were in the same room together.

[willko1]

tact is what is missing on the internet, there are nicer ways to say things. The problem that I see in this post is that a member (who may have been missing some information) made a post ONLY with the intention of perhaps helping others and delivering good news. This was answered with "you should have done your homework."

It's not about who's right or wrong, it's about delivery...sales 101, give bad news with a smile and people will not hold it against you.

No need for any name calling, people just need to speak the same way as if they were in the same room together.

DDSMITH thanks for the info and heads up on the wiring I have the factory Xenon with the level adjustment in the cabin, these would make a nice replacement if mine get broken or fade any more.

Qship and BCC93 I have the number for a great counselor I really would recommend giving them a call before you two end up like Ted Kazinski the number is 1-800-CHIL-LOUT.

[paranoidjack]

To qship's point though, I don't think he's talking about levelling...I believe he's talking about the actual cant of the lights and their mounting in the assy...this cannot be changed and I believe is different for right hand and left hand drive countries. Will they work? Yes. Will people driving past you love you? No.

[qship96]

correct,leveling has nothing to do with it,nada. The optics are reversed in the design of the lamp assembly. Park your car 10-20-30 ft facing a white wall,garage door,whatever at night and turn on your headlamps and study the upper cutoff pattern- what you should notice is a distinct sharp horizontal line that kicks upward towards the right side {to help light up signs,etc on the RIGHT hand side of the road......in Japan,since traffic flows on the opposite side of the road, this is reversed,with the kickup on the LEFT hand side.Using their lamps here, or our lamps in japan,just places this kickup on the wrong side,the side where opposing traffic flows causing massive glare to other motorists.

BCC93 comment about self leveling and auto controlling is just more BS to confuse others{any self leveling, computer controlled,etc does not change the basic beam pattern set by the design of the optics} so he can continue to fool them and profit by selling more product......he is well aware of their unsuitability for on road use in the USA, he just doesnt care about helping other Q owners make sound choices,making a few bucks for himself is his only motive,period. like I said, an unethical slob.

Here is an example of the usa correct right hand kickup pattern,on jdm it is opposite blinding oncoming traffic http://www.google.com/imgres?q=headlamp ... 2,s:0,i:79

Here is yet another article explaining the problem...........

ECE/EEC Marking: Headlamp Suitability for Traffic Direction

This is a very important marking. All low ("passing", "lower", "dipped") beams are an asymmetrical distribution of light to give maximum seeing in the direction of travel while controlling glare light directed towards oncoming traffic. A headlamp intended for use in traffic that flows on the right side of the road must never be used on the left side of the road, nor must a left-traffic headlamp ever be used on the right side of the road. A wrong-side-of-road headlamp does not provide adequate illumination for the driver to see what he needs to see in order to drive safely, and severely blinds oncoming traffic. This cannot be corrected by adjusting the aim of the lamp, because traffic-handedness is intrinsic in the optics of the lamp. This means it is very unsafe to use UK-spec, Australian-spec, or Japanese-spec ("JDM") headlamps in the United States, Canada, Continental Europe or any other location that drives on the right side of the road. Many performance parts dealers are illegally importing and selling JDM or wrong-side-of-road ECE headlamps into North America, and touting them as a "performance improvement". They may or may not have ECE headlamp markings, but they are not a performance improvement -- they are a danger.

Note that the terminology involved in traffic-handedness of headlamps can be confusing. Countries where traffic flows along the right side of the road have "Right Hand Traffic" (RHT), and the cars used in these countries generally have the steering wheel on the left side of the car, which is called "Left Hand Drive" (LHD). Countries where traffic flows along the left side of the road have "Left Hand Traffic" (LHT) and mostly "Right Hand Drive" (RHD) cars. Sometimes headlamps are referred to by the position of the steering wheel in the car, e.g. "LHD headlamps" used to indicate lamps suitable for use in an LHD vehicle, i.e., on the right side of the road. This is not a wise habit; most countries permit vehicles with the steering wheel on the "wrong" side of the car, but the headlamps are still required to be of the correct traffic-handedness.

[willko1]

correct,leveling has nothing to do with it,nada. The optics are reversed in the design of the lamp assembly. Park your car 10-20-30 ft facing a white wall,garage door,whatever at night and turn on your headlamps and study the upper cutoff pattern- what you should notice is a distinct sharp horizontal line that kicks upward towards the right side {to help light up signs,etc on the RIGHT hand side of the road......in Japan,since traffic flows on the opposite side of the road, this is reversed,with the kickup on the LEFT hand side.Using their lamps here, or our lamps in japan,just places this kickup on the wrong side,the side where opposing traffic flows causing massive glare to other motorists.

BCC93 comment about self leveling and auto controlling is just more BS to confuse others{any self leveling, computer controlled,etc does not change the basic beam pattern set by the design of the optics} so he can continue to fool them and profit by selling more product......he is well aware of their unsuitability for on road use in the USA, he just doesnt care about helping other Q owners make sound choices,making a few bucks for himself is his only motive,period. like I said, an unethical slob.

Here is an example of the usa correct right hand kickup pattern,on jdm it is opposite blinding oncoming traffic http://www.google.com/imgres?q=headlamp ... 2,s:0,i:79

Here is yet another article explaining the problem...........

ECE/EEC Marking: Headlamp Suitability for Traffic Direction

This is a very important marking. All low ("passing", "lower", "dipped") beams are an asymmetrical distribution of light to give maximum seeing in the direction of travel while controlling glare light directed towards oncoming traffic. A headlamp intended for use in traffic that flows on the right side of the road must never be used on the left side of the road, nor must a left-traffic headlamp ever be used on the right side of the road. A wrong-side-of-road headlamp does not provide adequate illumination for the driver to see what he needs to see in order to drive safely, and severely blinds oncoming traffic. This cannot be corrected by adjusting the aim of the lamp, because traffic-handedness is intrinsic in the optics of the lamp. This means it is very unsafe to use UK-spec, Australian-spec, or Japanese-spec ("JDM") headlamps in the United States, Canada, Continental Europe or any other location that drives on the right side of the road. Many performance parts dealers are illegally importing and selling JDM or wrong-side-of-road ECE headlamps into North America, and touting them as a "performance improvement". They may or may not have ECE headlamp markings, but they are not a performance improvement -- they are a danger.

Note that the terminology involved in traffic-handedness of headlamps can be confusing. Countries where traffic flows along the right side of the road have "Right Hand Traffic" (RHT), and the cars used in these countries generally have the steering wheel on the left side of the car, which is called "Left Hand Drive" (LHD). Countries where traffic flows along the left side of the road have "Left Hand Traffic" (LHT) and mostly "Right Hand Drive" (RHD) cars. Sometimes headlamps are referred to by the position of the steering wheel in the car, e.g. "LHD headlamps" used to indicate lamps suitable for use in an LHD vehicle, i.e., on the right side of the road. This is not a wise habit; most countries permit vehicles with the steering wheel on the "wrong" side of the car, but the headlamps are still required to be of the correct traffic-handedness.

You submit a very thorough argument for NOT purchasing the JDM clear light assembly, as you say there is no adjustment to correct the beam spec of the light direction etc It seems like it would be unwise and unethical to install these on a vehicle. This should be posted for all to read.

[ddsmith60]

Flamed on my second post. I guess that is a record for me. Wish one of you experienced owners had a post available on this site for me to get this information before I purchased my headlights. Oh well, it made it through inspection which was the hurdle I was trying to clear. In time and with enough junkyard searches I may find US replacements. It just isn't on my highest priority at the moment. Fortunately, this information is now easily available with a search that has JDM and headlights in it. I would expect this forum to be one of the best resources for information on these cars and all I was trying to do was to contribute. Thank you for pointing out that I was misguided because it will help others in the future.

[qship96]

Wish one of you experienced owners had a post available on this site for me to get this information before I purchased my headlights. Fortunately, this information is now easily available with a search that has JDM and headlights in it. I would expect this forum to be one of the best resources for information on these cars and all I was trying to do was to contribute. Thank you for pointing out that I was misguided because it will help others in the future.

Did you search? A quick search will lead to exactly the same discussion we had here less than 1 year ago,and included the exact same member {bcc93qt} who has been peddling these unsafe,ineffective jdm headlamps trying hard to bury the truth so he can make a few bucks off unknowing members......see here post6217046.html?hilit=jdm%20headlamps% ... 6#p6217046

[BCC93QT]

qship. I have sold two pairs of JDM headlights period. No matter how hard YOU try it is not going to make a difference with your reciting of wikipedia pages and random articles. There are tons of JDM headlights imported and sold everyday. I am not trying to bury the truth and totally understand the JDM & USDM differences in headlights. I guess you should never drive in CA because most of the "vip" scene all have JDM headlamps. But as I stated in my first post, your egotistical self sometimes needs to shut it and move on.

[black g50]

Well if you have a pair,couldn't you bake em,and switch the lenses?

[qship96]

Thanks, when I decide to lower myself down to taking advice from an unethical slob,I will seek you out.

[ddsmith60]

My bad qship. I have always referred to the things that light up the front of my car as headlights not headlamps. Yes, I did search.

[maxnix]

The whole point is, drive on the left countries have headlamp units that have the kick up on the left side to read street signs and conversely drive on the right countries have it on the right.

If anyone wants to blind oncoming traffic and lose any PI lawsuit that results from using them, that is an inconsiderate and dumb person's gamble. The USA does not forbid ignorant behavior thankfully, or the Presidential pool would be much smaller.